


Herbert

by wesleyfanfiction_archivist



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-06-23
Updated: 2005-06-23
Packaged: 2018-05-31 05:05:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6457069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wesleyfanfiction_archivist/pseuds/wesleyfanfiction_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Indulgent ferret!fic written for TheFerretGirl.  Wes brings a furry new member into the AI team but isn't sure how to break the news to Angel.  Early AtS S3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Herbert

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Versaphile, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [WesleyFanfiction.net](http://fanlore.org/wiki/WesleyFanFiction.Net). Deciding that it needed to have a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact the e-mail address on [WesleyFanfiction.net collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/wesleyfanfiction/profile).

“Aahhh! A rat! We’ve got rats!” Gunn flinched as he saw something long and furry leap past his feet.

“Charles, that isn’t a rat. It's a ferret.” Fred said as she crawled under the table after the ferret. “Anyway, ferrets kill rats.”

“Oh. OK. That’s good, I guess. Since when do we have a ferret?” Gunn crouched and cautiously stuck his head under the table.

Fred emerged with the animal in her arms and Gunn helped her to her feet. “Since today. Wes brought it here. I think it has something to do with a spell or a good luck charm or something.” 

“Aww, don’t tell me this little guy’s going to be a sacrifice? He is kinda cute, isn’t he?” Gunn stroked the ferret’s back as it sniffed curiously at his arm.

Fred's eyes widened. “Oh, no! Nothing like that. I asked Wes how long he was going to stay here and he said ‘For a long time, I hope’ so I don’t think anything bad is going to happen to him. Wesley asked me to build him a habitat too, since I like to build things. For the ferret, not for Wesley. Wesley already has a habitat!” Fred giggled. “I think he really likes Wesley. He was trying to crawl up his pants leg this morning.” 

“Fred! Fred, have you seen the… oh, there he is.” Wesley came into the office and smiled when he saw Fred cradling the ferret.

“Are you going to do the spell now?” Fred asked enthusiastically.

“Spell? Oh, yes, the spell. Uh, no, not yet, I… I haven’t gathered all the necessary supplies. I’ll let you know when I’m prepared.” Wesley reached out and Fred handed over the ferret a little reluctantly. “Fred, I found the proper wire for the cage. I left it next to the reception desk. I think you have everything you need now.”

“Great! I’ll go get to work on the luxury accommodations for our newest team member!” Fred scrunched up her face and petted the ferret's head one more time. "He's just the cutest little thing!"

After Fred left the room Gunn watched Wesley pet the ferret. He seemed to have a special rapport with the animal that even sweet, gentle Fred didn't have. Something was up. Wes seemed to be treating the ferret less like a spell ingredient and more like a--

“Pet.” Gunn said as he eyed Wes suspiciously.

Wes was taken aback. “I beg your pardon?”

“The ferret. It’s a pet. Spell, my ass. You just wanted it as a pet and couldn’t admit it.” Gunn was grinning now.

“What? No. No. There really is… Cordy had a vision about a… There’s a powerful warding magic that requires… Oh, bugger. You won’t tell Angel, will you?”

“What, that you like animals? Really don’t think Angel took you as the anti-animal type anyway.”

“No, it isn’t that. I’d take the ferret home with me and keep him there but my landlady forbids pets. I don’t think Angel would like having him here unless it was for an important purpose. Remember the fuss he made when Cordelia brought in that stray dog? You would’ve thought she’d tried to adopt a busload of orphans.”

Gunn nodded. “Yeah, but remember when it ran off and didn’t come back? He was more upset than Cordy was.” Gunn leaned in closer and quietly added, “I caught him sitting alone in the office that night, holding one if its chewtoys, brooding.”

Wesley’s brow lifted. “Yes? Well, I still don’t know how Angel would feel about it. And I…” Wes looked down at the ferret in his arms. “I couldn’t take him back to the pet store now. I just couldn’t.”

Gunn saw the warm expression on Wesley’s face. “So, love at first sight was it?”

Wes was nose to nose with the ferret. “I was walking past the pet shop on my way to Bernard’s Used Books next door. This little fellow was in the shop window. He looked up at me and wiggled his nose, and--” Wesley sighed, “that was it.”

Gunn couldn’t help chuckling. “You sure he ain’t some kind of witchy ferret? Got you under his demon ferret thrall or something?”

Wes glared at Gunn. “Very funny. No, it’s-- I’d always wanted a pet when I was a boy and my father never would allow it. I don’t know, when I saw him this morning in that cage in the shop, he looked like he needed someone and I… Oh, it’s all very silly and sudden, I know, but I want to keep him. I want someone… something to look after.”

“Yeah, that’s a good thing to have." Gunn said thoughtfully. "Come on Wes, if you want to keep him here you’ll have to fess up sooner or later. And hey, you're the boss, so what's the big deal?"

"Angel lives here. I don't want to impose on him the responsibility of caring for a pet when I'm not here. Maybe if he thinks it's for a nobler purpose he might not mind as much, and then after awhile he'd get used to him being around.” Wes sounded hopeful, but a little doubtful.

"I don't know. I think Angel would be okay with... hey, does this little guy have a name?"

“I was going to call him…”Wes hesitated and then quietly answered, “Herbert.”

“Herbert? Herbert the Ferret?” Gunn laughed.

“Don’t you think he looks like a Herbert?”

“Who looks like a Herbert?” Angel asked as he walked into the room.

Gunn gave Wes a warning glance that meant he’d better come clean and soon. “Our little ferrety friend here. Look, I promised I'd meet with a couple of lowlife informants today, see if they know where we can find that pregnant puke demon Cordy saw in her last vision."

"Good. Good. Let us know as soon as you find out something. We've only got a week to find that thing before it starts spewing its spawn all over Santa Monica." Angel then turned toward Wesley and the ferret.

"Will do. Later." Gunn gave the ferret a friendly scratch on its head on his way out. "See ya, Herbert."

"Herbert?" Angel questioned Wes with a slight smile.

"Um, yes. It means 'illustrious warrior'. I think it's quite fitting, given our line of work."

"So, what does the ferret do? I mean, how does it work, this protection spell. Isn't that what you said it's for? Protection?" Angel asked.

Wesley noticed that Angel was keeping a certain distance from him and the ferret. That didn't look very promising to Wes. Fred, Gunn, and Cordy all seemed to have warmed up to Herbert almost immediately and wanted to pet him. Angel looked at Wes as though he might as well have been holding a coffee mug or a fountain pen.

"Well, yes, about that spell, Angel..."

"Does it do some kind of mystical ferret dance?" Angel suddenly looked worried, "Uh, he's not gonna have to, uh, spray something, is he?"

Wes couldn't help but smile at that. "No, he's been neutered, so he's not likely to spray anything. You see the thing is Angel, I..." Wes paused.

Angel waited for Wes to continue.

"What? Wes, come on. What is it? You said it was something harmless, so tell me. What's the ferret for?" Angel was starting to become concerned.

Wesley looked like a small boy who'd been caught keeping a stray puppy in his room without permission as he said, "For me."

"For you--" Angel's face softened as he realized what Wesley meant. "You mean there is no spell. You just want a ferret."

Wesley felt a little ridiculous for trying to lie to Angel, but he couldn't let go of the fear that he might say no. "He's litter-trained, Angel, and he's a very gentle animal, but all the same he could keep the hotel free of vermin, and Mrs. Roberts won't let anyone keep pets in her building so you see I can't take him home, and I promise he won't be any trouble at all if you'd--"

"Wes,"

"--let me keep him in the hotel. I'll make sure he's fed and gets enough supervised exercise and his cage is kept clean and he'd sleep most of the time anyway--"

"Wes!"

"--you won't have to lift a finger--"

"Wes!!"

Wes finally stopped babbling. "Yes, Angel?"

"Why would you think I wouldn't want you to keep him here?"

Wesley tried to explain. "Well, you've never expressed an interest in pets, and you didn't seem that thrilled when Cordy brought that dog in, and I didn't want to inconvenience you."

Angel seemed a little hurt. "I like pets, I mean, I haven't had one in centuries, and, I liked that dog alright but it chewed up my best pair of boots and tracked mud into the office and all over my chair, and..." Angel saw the fear of disappointment in Wesley's face. Wes had already made some sort of connection with the ferret and he wanted it. It was important to him. He got the feeling that this was something Wesley had wanted all his life but had been denied for one reason or another. Wesley had been so worried he would be denied it again that he had convinced himself he wouldn't be allowed this little bit of happiness. 

"Wes, I don't mind if he stays here. Ferrets are... nice. I've never actually had a ferret, but I've heard they're nice." Angel reached over hesitantly and stroked the ferret's fur. "Hey, he's real soft!" Angel smiled. Herbert turned his head and sniffed at Angel's hand. The ferret made some soft chirping sounds.

Wes smiled. "He likes you."

Angel chuckled, "He does? Heh." Angel continued to pet Herbert. "Hey there little guy. You are cute, aren't ya? And look at those teeth! And those claws! Wow, I bet he's one hell of a rat-catcher, huh? Guess he and I have something in common."

"You really don't mind if he stays here? I'm here so much anyway, I'd be able to look out for him most of the time, and the others seem rather fond of him. I just want you to like him too." 

Angel looked at Wes with a bit of amazement. After all these years was Wes still seeking his approval? Maybe he really was concerned that Angel wouldn't like the ferret as much as he did. 

"He likes you, Wes. Why wouldn't I like him?"

Wesley beamed and held Herbert up. "Would you like to hold him?"

Angel wasn't quite sure about that. "What? Uh, I've never held a ferret before. What if I hold him wrong or something?"

Wes sighed. "You'll do fine. He's not made of glass. Just don't squeeze him. Or drop him. Or--"

"Alright, alright! I can do this." Angel took Herbert gingerly into his arms. Herbert nuzzled into the crook of Angel's arm as he petted him.

Angel grinned and then gave Wes a dubious look. "Herbert?"


End file.
